At noon on February 9 in the fourth year of Chongzhen, the officers and soldiers stationed in Andingmen were basking in the sun by leaning against the wall with nothing to do.

Just as these officers and soldiers guarding the city were chatting about trivial matters around them, a group of knights suddenly appeared on the official road in the distance, perhaps because they had been comfortable for too long, these officers and soldiers guarding the city did not think of doing any emergency measures, but got up curiously and watched, wanting to see who was coming.

Zhu Youzhen rushed to the front of the team first, and after being reminded by Sun Chengzong, he remembered that he seemed to have an agreement with the queen. So after handing over the rest of the affairs to the base camp, Zhu Youzhen returned to the capital with Hai Lanzhu and others. However, after leaving the Shanhaiguan, Zhu Youzhen asked Hai Lanzhu to lead the team to move slowly, and he ran back with a small number of cavalry.

Looking at these unwary officers and soldiers guarding the city in front of Anding Gate, Zhu Youzhen was quite annoyed in his heart, but he really didn't want to waste time here, so he just reprimanded the city gate officer a few words, and then slowly walked into Anding Gate with the team.

The news of Chongzhen's return to the palace immediately made the originally somewhat lifeless palace lively. Wang Chengen guided the emperor forward, and said with a smile on his face: "Your Majesty, the minister has already ordered someone to prepare warm soup, Your Majesty will return to the Qianqing Palace to take a bath to get tired, and then go to Kunning Palace to see His Royal Highness." ”

Hearing that the queen had given birth to a little prince half a month ago, Zhu Youzhen immediately flew his mind to Zhou Yufeng's side, where could he take care of going back to the Qianqing Palace to take a bath first. He shook his head and said eagerly: "No, go to Kunning Palace first, I want to see the queen and the little prince first." ”

Zhu Youzhen hurried to the door of the dormitory of Kunning Palace, but was stopped at the door by the female official Lin Xiang'er, "Your Majesty came back from outside the palace, and he must have carried some unclean things on his body, and he asked His Majesty to bathe and change his clothes, and then go in to visit the two Highnesses." ”

For this female official who was personally promoted to take care of the queen, Zhu Youzhen trusted him very much. Although she stopped her outside the hall, Zhu Youzhen didn't lose his temper, but said to Du Xun, the steward of Kunning Palace behind him: "Go get some hot water, I will bathe here." ”

After taking a hot bath, Zhu Youzhen, who was relaxed, changed into home clothes and entered the queen's bedroom. Zhou Yufeng seemed to have forgotten the agreement between the emperor and himself, leaning on the head of the bed and looking at Chongzhen with a smile on his face. After a long time, she asked softly, "Your Majesty, have you thought about what to name the child?" ”

Zhu Youzhen hugged the child and replied without thinking: "Cihong, just call Zhu Cihong." The Rouge, Ming also. I hope he will be a bright child in the future..."

While the two were discussing the child's name in the dormitory, they heard a commotion outside. Zhu Youzhen handed over the child in his hand to Lin Xiang'er, and comforted the queen: "I'll go out and have a look, you have a good rest, don't worry about such trivial things." ”

Zhu Youzhen walked out of the dormitory, and saw Tian Xiuying shouting and rushing towards the Kunning Palace, the eunuch and palace maid in the Kunning Palace stopped in front of the palace gate, but she didn't dare to touch her body, and was being turned over by Tian Xiuying.

He hurriedly took a few steps forward and asked these palace maids and eunuchs to get out of the way, and then Tian Xiuying asked, "What's the matter with you?" Why did you run to the queen's side to make trouble, I don't know if the queen needs to rest. ”

Tian Xiuying didn't seem to hear what Chongzhen was saying at all, and after she looked up and saw the emperor, she cried out aggrievedly: "Your Majesty save Zhao'er, Zhao'er is about to leave." ”

Zhu Youzhen was suddenly a little stunned and replied: "What is gone?" Who is going to take the photos? Stop crying, talk well. What's going on? ”

Chongzhen, who was a little upset by Tian Xiuying's crying, finally couldn't help but get angry, which made Tian Xiuying sober up a little bit, and choked up to explain the reason.

Hearing that Cizhao had been crying for no reason for more than half a month, Zhu Youzhen suddenly became a little flustered, and he said to Du Xun, the steward of Kunning Palace: "Don't worry the queen about the things here, you report to the queen, and say that I have gone back to the Qianqing Palace in advance, and I will come to see her after the matter is done." ”

After speaking, without waiting for Du Xun to reply, Zhu Youzhen had already helped Tian Xiuying to walk towards the Yongning Palace in the east. On the way, Tian Xiuying babbled to Chongzhen about the symptoms of the child's unknown crying these days, and took the opportunity to say to Chongzhen: "The concubine heard that Zhao'er doesn't seem to be sick, but that the Empress Dowager Xiaoding is dissatisfied with Your Majesty..."

Zhu Youzhen chuckled in his heart, suddenly stopped and looked at Tian Xiuying and asked, "The Empress Dowager Xiaoding is dissatisfied with me and blames Zhao'er, where did you hear that?" ”

Tian Xiuying said unconsciously: "That's what everyone in the palace said." Your Majesty should send someone to sacrifice to the Empress Dowager Xiaoding, even if you have nothing to pray for Zhao'er. ”

Zhu Youzhen's face was a little stiff and comforted her a few words, then he called Lu Qi over, whispered a few words in his ear, and then continued to move forward with Tian Xiuying. Lu Qi turned around and left the team and trotted towards the Qianqing Palace.

As soon as he walked into Yongning Palace, Zhu Youzhen heard a faint cry, which was not the kind of healthy cry full of energy, but an intermittent and weak cry. Obviously, as Tian Xiuying said, Zhao'er cries longer and longer every day, and she is about to hurt the roots.

Zhu Youzhen also jumped when he saw Zhu Ci's yellow and thin appearance, it seemed that this child had not eaten and slept well for a long time. But strange to say, when he picked up Zhu Cizhao, the baby, who was still crying just now, finally calmed down.

Looking at the baby who was holding on to his clothes, Zhu Youzhen felt that he probably recognized him, so he slept with peace of mind.

The two grandmothers on one side saw that His Royal Highness had finally stopped crying, and couldn't help but want to come forward to take over His Royal Highness. Zhu Youzhen raised his right hand to stop them, and walked gently back and forth in the hall with the baby in his arms, so that he could sleep well.

Tian Xiuying didn't notice anything wrong, but thought that the arrival of the emperor had deterred those evil spirits, which made her finally put her mind at ease. Seeing Tian Xiuying's haggard appearance, Zhu Youzhen ordered the palace people on the side to take her in to rest for a while.

Zhu Youzhen walked back and forth with the child in his arms for more than an hour, and when he felt that his hands were about to be sore, he finally saw Wang Chengen walking in with Lu Qi and Lin Xiang'er.

With the help of Lin Xiang'er, Zhu Youzhen carefully put the baby into a large basket covered with a small quilt, and let the two attendants brought by Lu Qi carefully carry it out of the dormitory. Only then did he say to the few grandmothers and palace people who wanted to stop talking on the side: "When Concubine Li wakes up, tell her that the yin qi here is too heavy, and I will take Zhao'er to Qianqing Palace to raise it for a few days, so that she doesn't have to worry..."

These palace people naturally didn't dare to stop the emperor, but one of the grandmothers had the courage to stand up and say: "Your Royal Highness has been served by me since she was born, and Your Majesty has no people around to take care of His Royal Highness, should I also go to the Qianqing Palace to take care of His Royal Highness?" ”

Zhu Youzhen glanced at her seriously, and then refused expressionlessly: "No need, you better take care of Concubine Liniang first, so that she doesn't have to be too anxious." Zhao'er's life, I have my own arrangements. ”

Not far from the gate of Yongning Palace, Zhu Youzhen slowed down and said, "Is everything arranged?" ”

Lu Qi immediately stepped forward and replied, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, everything has been arranged." ”

Zhu Youzhen nodded, and immediately resumed his previous pace. Wang Chengen hurriedly followed, he had always been talkative in the past, but today he was very quiet.

Early the next morning, Zhu Youzhen woke up in a burst of crying. After a whole night's sleep, Zhu Cizhao finally regained a little vitality. Lin Xiang'er, who was wearing a middle coat, immediately got up from the brocade on the side and took Zhu Cizhao from the emperor's side.

Zhu Youzhen, who was woken up, had no intention of continuing to sleep, and he instructed the waiter who was waiting outside to come in and change his clothes.

Soon Wang Chengen and Lu Qi came to report to him, both of them had swollen eyes and apparently had not rested all night.

Zhu Youzhen didn't say much, and asked the two of them straightforwardly: "Have you done everything I told you to do?" ”

Lu Qi and Wang Chengen glanced at each other, and under the hint of the other party, he immediately reported to Chongzhen: "After Your Majesty took His Royal Highness away yesterday, five people in Yongning Palace have left. Three of them traveled because of Concubine Li's orders, and only two of them were sneaky.

After the minister followed, he found that one was to meet with Zhao Baishu, the supervisor of Shangshan, and the other was to meet with Wu Guan, the supervisor of Shangshan.

That night, Zhao Baishu and Wu both left the palace after being on duty. One went to the palace of the Zhou Emperor; One went to the Deyue Building in Niuti Hutong to call a banquet, but he didn't see anyone meet him, but someone saw the butler of the British Mansion appear there.

The minister's people checked, this housekeeper has become a frequent visitor to Deyue Tower since 3 months ago, and it is a coincidence that Wu Management also started at about that time, and every time he gets off duty, he has to go to Deyue Tower for a drink..."

After listening to Lu Qi's report, Zhu Youzhen was still expressionless, but his brows jumped a few times.

Wang Chengen stepped forward and said cautiously: "Back to Your Majesty, the minister has already inquired clearly, and there are indeed a few rumors in the palace these days.

One was more than a month ago, someone turned out the words of the Empress Dowager Xiaoding's dissatisfaction with Her Majesty, and also linked Her Royal Highness's crying for no reason...

There is also a rumor that during the period when the queen was waiting to give birth, Emperor Zhou often said that the queen would inevitably win a man in one fell swoop and give birth to a prince for His Majesty. As for the little highness under the knee of Concubine Li, the blessing is too thin, and she will definitely miss the big position. ”

Zhu Youzhen stretched out his hand and slowly dusted off the non-existent dust on his body, and said coldly: "Sure enough, it's a good plan, the British Duke, the Zhou Emperor, Yongning Palace, Kunning Palace, is this trying to make my backyard catch fire?" No, there is something going on in the two palaces, and it is estimated that Cui Yuzhi, who seems to be profitable, will not be able to run. Okay, who is so generous that he plans to let me punish everyone around me in one go? ”

Wang Chengen and Lu Qi lowered their heads and stared at their feet, lest they bump into the emperor's gun.